2.10.15

Nice to know where to stop & how to start.

You‘re ugly too by Mark Noonan

What happens
after jail? On the occasion of his release under certain conditions, Will (Aiden Gillen) tries to
catch up time and gain the trust of his niece Stacey (Lauren Kinsella) while
looking after her. However, it is neither the only truth nor story. You‘re
ugly too by Mark Noonan does not possess a provocative title randomly. It
meets our expectations as “festivaleers”, festival spectators that seek a concrete
cinematic discourse in the overall context of the film.

That’s a
movie worthy of our attention since it reflects the mood of an ex-prisoner, both
the eagerness and sadness of a young girl as well as the vibes of a small
society, where the two solitary souls make an effort to start belonging to. Endowed
with good and clever dialogues but especially thanks to the well filtered
performances of Kinsella and Gillen, the outcome of a contemporary movie
pleases those who are going to choose it for their spare time. As it is today
still possible to make films that converge with underground and road culture, You’re ugly too unravels the human need
to share and, thus, dare to live in a more sensitive way. And it does so in a
very simple manner, while every Stacey’s gesture and facial expression matters.
Apparently, as we are very near to the end, it is obvious that Will’s fear for
his own children is a bipolar sign; this moving emotion turns to become ex-fear
and current nostalgia; therefore, it was not just fear but also hidden desire
to name it. Apart from this well made character, the secondary one of Emilie (Erika
Sainte) makes us realize how this woman is puzzled and indecisive in her life. All
is given by a mere phrase about a cow staring two balls of hay unmoved. In a
nutshell, Mark Noonan from my favorite Galway knows how to say more by using
less, that is, he has used general knowledge as part of his own vision in order
to cast light on human relations. He still left us a place for thoughts and
considerations. You’re ugly too cuts
both ways; realistically, it is “an” answer once said by a doctor (who cares). However,
cinematically it is “the” answer just said by an uncle to his niece. “Too” encloses
this emotion, that is, the desire to look like somebody we love and so justify
our disdain for other terrestrial things. Will loves Stacey because she made it;
she maintained her passion and composure in order to keep going. Generally, that
was a very good choice for the 21st International Athens Film
Festival, Nyxtes Premieras. And hopefully more cinema lovers will get the
chance to see this movie.